Written Answers Tuesday 31 July 2007

Scottish Executive

Animal Welfare

Jim Hume (South of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, following the consultation on animal health and welfare, what assurances it will give that any cost-sharing and responsibility-sharing measures will only be implemented with the full, consensual agreement of the livestock sector in Scotland.

Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government is committed to working with a wide range of stakeholders to ensure that the right policies are developed for Scotland. As any specific proposals for responsibility and cost sharing emerge the Scottish Government will continue to engage closely with stakeholders to consider their appropriateness and implications for Scotland.

Animal Welfare

Jim Hume (South of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, following the consultation on animal health and welfare, what assurances it will give that any cost-sharing and responsibility-sharing measures will only be implemented with the long-term economic sustainability of the livestock sector in Scotland in mind.

Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government is committed to maintaining a sustainable and profitable livestock sector and Scottish decisions on any specific proposals for responsibility and cost sharing will be taken in this context.

Animal Welfare

Jim Hume (South of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had or plans to have with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs regarding any cost-sharing and responsibility-sharing measures taken following the Executive’s consultation on animal health and welfare to ensure that decisions made at a UK level can be implemented in Scotland fairly, equitably and in a way that will not detrimentally affect the long-term sustainability of the livestock sector and will be focussed on disease prevention.

Richard Lochhead: I discussed responsibility and cost sharing with the former Secretary of State for Environment and Rural Affairs, David Miliband, when we met on 18 June 2007. I also wrote to the new Secretary of State, Hilary Benn on this issue on 4 July 2007. In all the discussions with Defra on this issue the Scottish Government have stressed the importance of affordability and supporting a sustainable livestock industry.

Benefits

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the amount of unclaimed council tax benefit in each year since 1999, also broken down by local authority area.

John Swinney: Council tax benefit is administered by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). Estimates of the amount of unclaimed council tax benefit are only available at a Great Britain level, and not at a Scotland or local authority level. The DWP’s latest estimate of the amount of unclaimed council tax benefit for the whole of Great Britain for 2004-05 was in the range between £1,330 million and £1,800 million. The estimated range simply reflects the uncertainty given the sample used.

Concessionary Fares

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has been notified of any funding surpluses in the operation of the concessionary fares scheme and, if so, what the surpluses have been for each year since the scheme came into operation, broken down by local authority area.

Stewart Stevenson: In the first year of operation (2006-07) the concessionary fares scheme for older and disabled people experienced a surplus of £6.2 million. The surplus for bus travel was £5 million and the ferry surplus was £1.2 million.

  These surpluses were actively managed as they came to light and were subsequently reapplied across the transport portfolio as part of our financial management of the 2006-07 budget.

  As this national scheme is now administered centrally by Transport Scotland and because journeys can be taken across many local authority boundaries we are unable to breakdown the figures by local authority.

Crime

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the police clear-up rate has been in each year since 1999 for serious violent crimes, as referred to in Building a Better Scotland Spending Proposals 2005-2008, expressed also as a percentage of all serious violent crimes and broken down by local authority area.

Fergus Ewing: The requested information is given in the following table.

  Clear Up Rate for Serious Violent Crime by Local Authority Area, 1999-2000 to 2005-06

  

Local Authority Area
1999-2000
2000-01
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06


Aberdeen City
48.2
47.1
51.6
49.8
59.5
59.0
57.6


Aberdeenshire
66.9
60.2
70.5
62.6
64.9
66.8
70.7


Angus
92.5
100.0
86.2
97.8
94.4
90.0
95.1


Argyll and Bute
79.3
84.4
77.3
74.0
75.4
69.3
80.5


Clackmannanshire
89.8
81.1
99.2
97.3
99.1
94.5
96.2


Dumfries and Galloway
83.7
86.4
82.8
79.9
79.6
85.3
84.7


Dundee City
80.6
77.5
68.0
89.8
92.0
85.4
80.3


East Ayrshire
67.4
70.8
64.5
75.1
79.9
73.4
68.9


East Dunbartonshire
60.5
58.1
64.5
61.7
64.0
59.3
59.1


East Lothian
70.5
86.1
75.0
75.8
75.3
65.7
77.3


East Renfrewshire
57.0
56.8
50.0
47.9
55.8
43.7
55.8


Edinburgh
56.5
54.9
54.0
59.0
49.4
53.5
51.3


Eilean Siar (W.Isles)
100.0
100.0
100.0
89.7
97.5
105.1
94.3


Falkirk
86.4
91.0
90.4
91.0
93.1
94.5
97.2


Fife
76.0
74.3
74.8
70.2
73.9
76.9
78.0


Glasgow
44.3
45.6
43.5
39.8
42.2
43.0
42.4


Highland
90.3
91.7
89.5
91.4
87.4
88.7
90.0


Inverclyde
60.6
60.4
64.7
55.1
58.4
54.9
52.4


Midlothian
79.3
70.9
76.5
72.0
68.3
73.2
73.7


Moray
76.5
63.2
82.5
74.5
71.3
71.7
79.5


North Ayrshire
63.6
60.4
59.9
65.7
67.8
66.6
65.1


North Lanarkshire
58.2
64.5
64.8
70.0
62.9
62.5
59.8


Orkney Islands
100.0
100.0
82.4
83.3
100.0
100.0
94.1


Perth and Kinross
86.6
95.5
82.9
81.4
94.9
88.4
90.6


Renfrewshire
51.2
47.4
51.2
50.3
49.5
47.6
52.8


Scottish Borders
85.2
93.4
91.8
93.5
85.3
90.2
87.1


Shetland Islands
109.1
96.0
100.0
90.9
100.0
93.9
82.4


South Ayrshire
76.2
76.7
68.8
78.9
80.4
78.2
74.1


South Lanarkshire
55.4
53.8
50.5
54.2
52.1
52.6
55.1


Stirling
79.1
91.3
89.5
87.5
95.5
93.6
99.4


West Dunbartonshire
62.0
63.1
58.2
57.1
56.9
55.6
51.3


West Lothian
67.7
69.2
69.8
63.9
68.3
60.6
59.2


All Scotland
58.9
59.7
58.7
58.8
59.0
59.4
59.8

Crime

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average length of sentence for crimes of indecency has been in each of the last five years, broken down by (a) main offence and (b) sheriff court district.

Fergus Ewing: The available information is given in the following table. Average sentence lengths based on relatively small total number of cases can be expected to fluctuate from year to year.

  Persons Convicted of Crimes of Indecency in Scottish courts, by Main Offence and Sheriffdom, 2001-02 to 2005-06

  

Sheriffdom and main offence (total convicted)
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06


Glasgow and Strathkelvin
 
 
 
 
 


Indecent assault1
6
8
14
17
12


Lewd and indecent behaviour
27
34
42
51
46


Offences related to prostitution
104
90
99
205
249


Other crimes of indecency
17
8
4
2
2


Total
154
140
159
275
309



  

Grampian, Highlands and Islands
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06


Indecent assault1
11
9
9
6
7


Lewd and indecent behaviour
40
31
51
62
61


Offences related to prostitution
-
4
10
11
13


Other crimes of indecency
16
8
20
28
36


Total
67
52
90
107
117



  

Lothian and Borders
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06


Indecent assault1
2
18
18
19
30


Lewd and indecent behaviour
47
43
45
42
56


Offences related to prostitution
3
3
13
6
6


Other crimes of indecency
9
8
4
12
15


Total
61
72
80
79
107



  

North Strathclyde
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06


Indecent assault1
7
5
11
13
6


Lewd and indecent behaviour
31
29
32
39
27


Offences related to prostitution
-
-
-
-
-


Other crimes of indecency
5
5
4
5
2


Total
43
39
47
57
35



  

South Strathclyde, Dumfries and Galloway
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06


Indecent assault1
4
3
11
10
10


Lewd and indecent behaviour
59
37
36
46
41


Offences related to prostitution
-
-
-
-
-


Other crimes of indecency
9
13
9
17
7


Total
72
53
56
73
58



  

Tayside, Central and Fife
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06


Indecent assault1
11
16
13
13
17


Lewd and indecent behaviour
55
56
56
50
63


Offences related to prostitution
3
2
4
3
8


Other crimes of indecency
12
8
20
7
15


Total
81
82
93
73
103



  

High Court
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06


Rape 
46
38
38
45
38


Indecent assault1
28
22
36
32
23


Lewd and indecent behaviour
38
42
34
30
20


Offences related to prostitution
-
-
-
-
-


Other crimes of indecency
23
20
31
32
27


Total
135
122
139
139
108



  

Scotland
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06


Rape 
46
38
38
45
38


Indecent assault1
69
81
112
110
105


Lewd and indecent behaviour
297
272
296
320
314


Offences related to prostitution
110
99
126
225
276


Other crimes of indecency
91
70
92
103
104


Total
613
560
664
803
837



  Number of Custodial Sentences

  

Glasgow and Strathkelvin
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06


Indecent assault1
3
2
4
-
3


Lewd and indecent behaviour
9
11
15
13
11


Offences related to prostitution
-
-
-
-
-


Other crimes of indecency
1
2
-
-
2


Total
13
15
19
13
16



  

Grampian, Highlands and Islands
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06


Indecent assault1
2
1
2
4
2


Lewd and indecent behaviour
19
4
17
13
23


Offences related to prostitution
-
-
-
-
-


Other crimes of indecency
1
-
3
4
8


Total
 
 
 
 
 



  

Lothian and Borders
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06


Indecent assault1
1
5
5
4
7


Lewd and indecent behaviour
18
12
17
9
19


Offences related to prostitution
-
-
-
-
-


Other crimes of indecency
1
-
-
2
4


Total
20
17
22
15
30



  

North Strathclyde
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06


Indecent assault1
3
-
3
3
1


Lewd and indecent behaviour
10
11
11
8
10


Offences related to prostitution
-
-
-
-
-


Other crimes of indecency
1
2
1
2
2


Total
14
13
15
13
13



  

South Strathclyde, Dumfries and Galloway
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06


Indecent assault1
3
1
3
1
2


Lewd and indecent behaviour
18
9
9
13
14


Offences related to prostitution
-
-
-
-
-


Other crimes of indecency
2
3
-
3
2


Total
23
13
12
17
18



  

Tayside, Central and Fife
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06


Indecent assault1
2
3
5
6
6


Lewd and indecent behaviour
8
15
12
9
17


Offences related to prostitution
-
-
-
-
-


Other crimes of indecency
2
2
1
1
3


Total
12
20
18
16
26



  

High Court
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06


Rape
40
35
33
44
34


Indecent assault1
22
21
25
26
16


Lewd and indecent behaviour
31
39
27
24
17


Offences related to prostitution
-
-
-
-
-


Other crimes of indecency
19
15
19
25
18


Total
112
110
104
119
85



  

Scotland
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06


Rape
40
35
33
44
34


Indecent assault1
36
33
47
44
37


Lewd and indecent behaviour
113
101
108
89
111


Offences related to prostitution
-
-
-
-
-


Other crimes of indecency
27
24
24
37
39


Total
216
193
212
214
221



  Average Length of Custodial Sentence (Days)2

  

Glasgow and Strathkelvin
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06


Indecent assault1
547
471
388
-
1,025


Lewd and indecent behaviour
513
390
483
386
572


Offences related to prostitution
-
-
-
-
-


Other crimes of indecency
365
502
-
-
320


Total
510
416
463
386
626



  

Grampian, Highlands and Islands
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06


Indecent assault1
91
365
502
342
594


Lewd and indecent behaviour
307
411
308
573
402


Offences related to prostitution
-
-
-
-
-


Other crimes of indecency
61
-
284
144
175


Total
276
402
323
447
358



  

Lothian and Borders
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06


Indecent assault1
61
280
292
700
247


Lewd and indecent behaviour
392
337
539
378
536


Offences related to prostitution
-
-
-
-
-


Other crimes of indecency
1,096
-
-
730
550


Total
411
320
483
511
470



  

North Strathclyde
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06


Indecent assault1
254
-
324
396
1,096


Lewd and indecent behaviour
532
420
467
472
672


Offences related to prostitution
-
-
-
-
-


Other crimes of indecency
365
61
547
776
76


Total
461
365
444
501
613



  

South Strathclyde, Dumfries and Galloway
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06


Indecent assault1
913
274
243
1,096
1,004


Lewd and indecent behaviour
319
568
412
730
476


Offences related to prostitution
-
-
-
-
-


Other crimes of indecency
548
365
-
770
456


Total
417
499
370
759
532



  

Tayside, Central and Fife
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06


Indecent assault1
274
443
621
1,035
319


Lewd and indecent behaviour
557
554
586
814
521


Offences related to prostitution
-
-
-
-
-


Other crimes of indecency
107
472
456
182
446


Total
434
529
588
857
466



  

High Court
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06


Rape 
2,452
2,319
2,080
2,188
2,425


Indecent assault1
1,349
1,600
1,533
1,674
1,701


Lewd and indecent behaviour
1,608
1,601
1,488
1,613
1,509


Offences related to prostitution
-
-
-
-
-


Other crimes of indecency
2,115
1,936
1,784
1,738
1,583


Total
1,944
1,875
1,741
1,865
1,927



  

Scotland
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06


Rape 
2,452
2,319
2,080
2,188
2,425


Indecent assault1
989
1,149
1,003
1,277
1,033


Lewd and indecent behaviour
734
896
719
845
663


Offences related to prostitution
-
-
-
-
-


Other crimes of indecency
1,606
1,342
1,490
1,339
901


Total
1,203
1,253
1,081
1,295
1,038



  Notes:

  1. Includes attempted rape. 2. Excludes life sentences: 2 in 2001-02, 3 in 2002-03, 4 in 2003-04, 3 in 2004-05 and 4 in 2005-06.

Ferry Services

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to make ferry services from the mainland to the Western Isles more affordable.

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it expects to introduce a system of road equivalent tariff to ferry services to the Western Isles.

Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-1810 on 20 July 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website the search facility for which can be found at:  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Fertility Treatment

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-1774 by Nicola Sturgeon on 13 July 2007, what action is being taken to reduce the average waiting time for fertility treatment in NHS Grampian from five years.

Nicola Sturgeon: Data on waiting times is not routinely collected, and the Grampian data was from April 2005. Up-to-date information is currently being gathered from all NHS boards. Once it is received we will consider our approach to waiting list management. The final report will be produced in late Summer 2007.

Fisheries

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Chief Executive of the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency (a) is solely responsible for the agency’s operation and performance, (b) has been delegated full managerial authority for it and its day-to-day operation and (c) as its accounting officer is responsible for the propriety and regularity of its finances.

Richard Lochhead: Yes.

  The Chief Executive is answerable to me as Cabinet Secretary for the operation of the Agency, its day-to-day management and planning its future development. He is delegated full managerial authority and exercises that authority in accordance with the terms laid down in his Framework Document which include his responsibilities as accountable officer for the Agency.

Fisheries

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S3W-12 and S3W-889 by Richard Lochhead on 7 and 27 June 2007, whether it will provide a table showing a comparison of the utilisation of effective patrol days between FPV Vigilent , FPV Norna and FPV Jura for the year to 31 March 2007.

Richard Lochhead: The information requested is set out in the following table.

  

Vessel
Effective Patrol Days


FPV Vigilant
308


FPV Norna
309


FPV Jura
275*



  Note: *FPV Jura, having been delivered from Ferguson Shipbuilders in 2006, was operational for only part of the year to 31 March 2007.

Fisheries

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S3W-12 and S3W-889 by Richard Lochhead on 7 and 27 June 2007, whether it will provide a table showing a comparison of the cost of effective patrol days between FPV Vigilent , FPV Norna and FPV Jura  for the year to 31 March 2007.

Richard Lochhead: The information requested is set out in the following table.

  

Vessel
Cost of Effective Patrol Days


FPV Vigilant
£6,355


FPV Norna
£6,785


FPV Jura
£7,367



  Cost comparisons need to take into account the relatively larger dimensions of Jura compared to Norna/Vigilant. Jura is 18 metres longer with a gross tonnage of 2,300 tonnes compared with 1,300 in respect of Norna/Vigilant. Furthermore, Jura was operational for only part of the year to 31 March 2007.

Fisheries

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S3W-12 and S3W-889 by Richard Lochhead on 7 and 27 June 2007, what evidence was presented by the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency (SFPA) in calling for a review of the Fleet Renewal Programme and in what way did it differ from the evidence that supported the SFPA’s Corporate Plan 2002-03 that made the case for the replacement of all three Sulisker Class vessels.

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S3W-12 and S3W-889 by Richard Lochhead on 7 and 27 June 2007, what material changes have taken place in the operational requirements of the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency (SFPA) since 3 May 2007 to contradict the statement by the Chief Executive of the SFPA in its annual report and accounts 2001-02, when commenting on the placing of the order for the first Minna Class vessel, that "This marks the first stage of a planned reconfiguration of the SFPA’s marine fleet which is due to span the next ten years".

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S3W-12 and S3W-889 by Richard Lochhead on 7 and 27 June 2007, what material changes have taken place in the operational requirements of the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency (SFPA) since 3 May 2007 to contradict the statement made by the Chief Executive of the SFPA in its annual report and accounts 2003-04 in referring to the signing of the contract "for the first of the replacement vessels for the three ageing Sulisker Class ships" as a highlight of the year.

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S3W-12 and S3W-889 by Richard Lochhead on 7 and 27 June 2007, why, if the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency believed that its performance aims could be achieved effectively through the refurbishment of one or both of the two existing older vessels, the agency advertised in February 2007 for marine consultancy services in respect of forthcoming vessel procurement.

Richard Lochhead: The SFPA’s extant corporate plan 2006-10 and associated fleet renewal programme involved the allocation of substantial capital and revenue funds over the next spending review period, including the capital costs of the proposed replacement Sulisker Class vessel and the enhancement of the fleet from four to five vessels. Against the background of a wide range of spending pressures on the Scottish Government and the substantial improvements in marine fisheries enforcement capability in recent years, I decided to ask the SFPA to undertake a review of the fleet renewal programme, including an assessment of the full range of options including new builds and refurbishment of existing vessels. It is entirely appropriate for the new administration to take a fresh look at the options ahead of firm decisions in the 2007 spending review. The review will therefore inform decisions on future procurement yet to be taken as part of the 2007 spending review.

Fisheries

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S3W-12 and S3W-889 by Richard Lochhead on 7 and 27 June 2007, whether the statement, attributed to a spokesman for the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency (SFPA) in the Mail on Sunday of 10 June 2007 regarding the possible replacement of the FPV Norna , that, "This replacement is unnecessary", implies that in providing previous advice to the contrary the chief executive and accounting officer of the SFPA had acted in breach of his fiduciary responsibilities, with particular reference to the obligations set out in the statement of agency and chief executive’s responsibilities and the Scottish public finance manual.

Richard Lochhead: No. The statement by the SFPA spokesman requires to be read within the context it was made to maintain the operational capability of the fleet. The answer to question S3W-12, answered on 7 June 2007, indicated that the review would include consideration of the case for increasing the Agency’s fleet from four to five vessels. Given that by the end of 2007 the agency will have three new vessels in its fleet as well as the newest of the Sulisker class (FPV Norna ) with at least five years operational capability remaining, it was not necessary to go forward immediately with the tender procedure for a fourth new vessel.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Fisheries

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S3W-12 and S3W-889 by Richard Lochhead on 7 and 27 June 2007, whether the statement in the Mail on Sunday on 10 June 2007 regarding placing a tender for a new Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency (SFPA) vessel that "the new ship was a waste of public money" implies that in providing previous advice to the contrary the chief executive and accounting officer of the SFPA had acted in breach of his fiduciary responsibilities, with particular reference to the obligations set out in the statement of agency and chief executive’s responsibilities and Scottish public finance manual.

Richard Lochhead: No. I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-1970 on 31 July 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website the search facility for which can be found at:  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Fisheries

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S3W-12 and S3W-889 by Richard Lochhead on 7 and 27 June 2007, what further evidence is required to demonstrate the need for the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency (SFPA) fleet to be increased from four to five vessels other than the evidence provided by SFPA management in 2005, prior to inviting expressions of interest in tendering for a second Minna Class vessel, showing the need for a second Minna Class vessel in addition to the replacement of all three Sulisker Class vessels.

Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the answer to questions S3W-1967 and S3W-1970 on 31 July 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website the search facility for which can be found at:  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Fisheries

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S3W-12 and S3W-889 by Richard Lochhead on 7 and 27 June 2007, why the terms of reference for the review of the fleet renewal programme do not include consideration of the operational requirements that would require to be met following the passage of a Scottish Marine Bill and the creation of a Scottish marine management organisation.

Mr Richard Lochhead: The terms of reference relate to current and future operational requirements. At this stage, it is not yet clear what impact a Scottish Marine Bill or the possible creation of a Scottish marine management organisation might have on the operational activities of the SFPA, but the review will consider these issues.

Healthcare Associated Infection

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-1495 by Nicola Sturgeon on 13 July 2007, whether the Healthcare Associated Infections Task Force will issue guidelines to NHS boards on the inclusion of MRSA as a contributory factor to, or the underlying cause of, death in order to ensure a consistent approach.

Nicola Sturgeon: It is not within the remit of the Healthcare Associated Infections Task Force to give recommendations on the recording of causes of death, for which the General Register Office for Scotland (GROS) has sole legal responsibility.

  The GROS guidance on completion of death certificates clearly sets out the principles of how medical conditions should be recorded. However, no specific recommendations are made on causes that should be included. The conditions recorded are explicitly a matter for the doctor’s clinical judgement.

Housing

Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are in place to ensure that absentee landlords are held accountable for the condition of communal areas which are affected by their properties.

Fergus Ewing: The management and maintenance of tenements is usually governed by rules and conditions set out in the title deeds for the flats within the block. If there is nothing in the title deeds or if they are unworkable, then the Tenement (Scotland) Act 2004 provides a structure for the maintenance and management of a tenement including majority decision making to undertake a repair or maintenance work. The intention is that the Act will ensure that all tenements benefit from a scheme to ensure that they are managed and maintained. All owners also have a duty to maintain the support and shelter of the tenement. The powers of initiative and enforcement lie with the owners. For the purposes of the legislation, landlords are treated like any other owner and so have the same responsibilities as other owners.

  The landlord registration scheme was introduced through the Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004, and came into force on 30 April 2006. Since then, all private landlords in Scotland are required to register with their local authority. One of the benefits of the scheme is that the database of registered landlords will allow neighbours to find out the name and contact details for a landlord if they need to contact him or her about, for example, repairs to common parts of a building.

  On 3 September 2007 the new Repairing Standard for private landlords, introduced by the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006, comes into effect. This will bring together in statutory form (and extend slightly) the existing repairing obligations of landlords. It will be easier for tenants to enforce the standard since, instead of having to go to court, they will be able to apply to the new Private Rented Housing Panel for consideration of their complaint. In the case of houses which form part of premises (for example, flats), the Repairing Standard covers keeping in reasonable repair and proper working order the structure and exterior of any part of the premises that the owner is responsible for maintaining (solely or communally). The landlord’s duty to repair applies only if any part of the premises that the tenant is entitled to use is adversely affected by the failure to carry out work.

Justice

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many failure to appear warrants have been issued in each of the last five years, broken down by sheriff court district.

Fergus Ewing: The available information is given in the following table. The figures exclude fines enquiry and initiating warrants.

  Failure to Appear Warrants Issued by Sheriff Court, 2001-02 to 2005-06

  

Court
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06


Aberdeen
2,685
3,295
3,020
2,527
2,519


Airdrie
1,240
1,512
1,483
1,418
1,442


Alloa
612
775
759
791
665


Arbroath
275
422
320
283
302


Ayr
1,149
1,291
1,453
1,597
1,455


Banff
110
89
99
36
44


Campbeltown
50
58
76
84
63


Cupar
296
274
244
230
242


Dingwall
106
106
130
62
56


Dornoch
31
23
28
20
13


Dumbarton
1,108
1,213
1,363
1,431
1,073


Dumfries
429
950
789
778
678


Dundee
2,499
2,881
3,218
3,177
2,456


Dunfermline
769
983
1,005
1,106
972


Dunoon
168
146
177
216
174


Duns
39
62
63
88
74


Edinburgh
6,038
5,742
5,029
4,856
5,455


Elgin
331
372
401
391
287


Falkirk
1,083
1,056
1,124
1,308
1,119


Forfar
192
256
269
242
160


Fort William
55
77
79
85
63


Glasgow
8,710
10,359
8,205
7,396
7,848


Greenock
945
1,174
1,239
1,014
730


Haddington
470
612
410
327
278


Hamilton
3,956
3,994
3,372
3,251
2,823


Inverness
748
669
675
761
746


Jedburgh
176
216
201
256
217


Kilmarnock
1,155
1,260
1,617
1,873
1,912


Kirkcaldy
1,627
2,154
2,422
2,365
2,047


Kirkcudbright
64
93
89
81
59


Kirkwall
12
10
14
16
21


Lanark
244
253
350
385
267


Lerwick
32
39
33
26
40


Linlithgow
1,931
1,658
1,230
1,007
978


Lochmaddy
9
5
5
14
10


Oban
61
48
90
80
68


Paisley
2,334
2,615
2,796
2,500
1,977


Peebles
48
63
32
52
38


Perth
672
725
1,042
819
778


Peterhead
357
401
229
305
323


Portree
7
16
11
25
13


Rothesay
57
50
101
45
28


Selkirk
171
233
180
154
144


Stirling
758
842
974
1,104
869


Stonehaven
141
143
95
67
67


Stornoway
34
39
27
31
35


Stranraer
215
197
226
215
165


Tain
173
206
96
32
19


Wick
15
17
27
28
11


Total
44,387
49,674
46,917
44,955
41,823

NHS Staff

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how Agenda for Change has benefited (a) ambulance technicians and (b) ambulance paramedics.

Nicola Sturgeon: Agenda for Change has fundamentally restructured pay and terms and conditions for nearly all non-medical staff in NHS Scotland and benefited the vast majority financially. By replacing the old "Whitley" system (which had each staff group working under different terms and conditions) with one unified system it has brought different benefits to each group.

  Many staff groups, including ambulance staff, have benefited from a reduction in the hours of the working week, additional holiday entitlement and enhancements around occupational sick pay and maternity pay.

  The key impact of Agenda for Change for Paramedics and Technicians has been an increase in take home pay for the majority of staff in these roles. This has been achieved by:

  Increasing significantly the payments made to staff for working unsocial hours.

  Enabling staff to select either the new Agenda for Change on-call reimbursement system or retain their current one, whichever was more financially beneficial.

  Increasing the reimbursement for on-call working (for those who choose to move to Agenda for Change On-call arrangements) from plain time to time and a half.

  Increasing the overtime rate from plain time to time and a half.

  Reduction in working hours meaning that overtime enhancements kick in more quickly than previously.

  Introducing an additional payment where shifts are changed with short notice.

  Agenda for Change is also designed to support the improvement of all aspects of equality and diversity for staff (especially in the areas of career and training opportunities) and provide working patterns that are flexible and responsive to out of work commitments.

NHS Staff

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many bank nurses have been employed by NHS Tayside in each of the last three years and what the annual cost has been of employing them.

Nicola Sturgeon: Information on staff employed in NHS Scotland is published on the Scottish Health Statistics website under Workforce Statistics, at:  www.isdscotland.org/workforce .

  Section E gives details of nursing and midwifery staff. In particular, table E16 shows hours, average whole time equivalent (WTE) and costs of bank nursing and midwifery staff by NHS board from 2001 to 2006. WTE adjusts headcount to take account of part time working. Figures for hours and cost of agency nursing and midwifery staff are produced annually at the end of each financial year.

NHS Staff

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many agency nurses have been employed by NHS Tayside in each of the last three years and what the annual cost has been of employing them.

Nicola Sturgeon: Information on staff employed in NHS Scotland is published on the Scottish Health Statistics website under Workforce Statistics, at:  www.isdscotland.org/workforce .

  Section E gives details of nursing and midwifery staff. In particular, table E13 shows hours, average whole time equivalent (WTE) and costs of agency nursing and midwifery staff by qualification, specialty and NHS board from 2001 to 2006. WTE adjusts headcount to take account of part time working. Figures for hours and cost of agency nursing and midwifery staff are produced annually at the end of each financial year.

National Health Service

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive under what circumstances NHS boards can (a) refer a patient for treatment at a private hospital or (b) reimburse a patient for treatment carried out at a private hospital.

Nicola Sturgeon: (a) It is for NHS boards to make decisions on how to utilise their existing capacity, additional capacity in other NHS facilities and, if necessary, existing capacity in the independent healthcare sector, to ensure that patients receive swift care and treatment to the appropriate standards. We would expect that NHS boards will always maximise the use of NHS capacity before turning to the private sector.

  (b) Similarly, it is up to NHS boards to make arrangements for reimbursement of costs for treatment carried out at a private hospital, where this is deemed appropriate. We would not expect NHS boards to reimburse any costs to patients where they had sought treatment under their own volition.

National Health Service

Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to support and enhance local health care services to communities in (a) Hamilton, (b) Blantyre and (c) Burnbank.

Nicola Sturgeon: NHS Lanarkshire have a programme of investment to upgrade existing and provide new premises to improve local health services in the Hamilton area. Relative priorities are a matter for the board. The Executive is continuing to invest heavily in improvements to the NHS overall, and as such to shift the balance of care towards local and community services.

National Health Service

Aileen Campbell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many and what percentage of patients were given the wrong treatment because of incorrect information provided on wristbands in each of the last five years, broken down by NHS board and parliamentary constituency.

Aileen Campbell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many and what percentage of patients’ wristbands were (a) typed and (b) handwritten in each of the last five years, broken down by NHS board and parliamentary constituency.

Aileen Campbell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many reported mistakes were made because of illegible handwriting on patients’ wristbands in each of the last five years, broken down by NHS board and parliamentary constituency.

Nicola Sturgeon: This information is not held centrally.

National Health Service

Alasdair Allan (Western Isles) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take in co-operation with NHS Western Isles to ensure that Broadbay Medical Practice in Stornoway is in a position to continue to provide its current level of service to patients.

Nicola Sturgeon: NHS Western Isles has a statutory duty to secure the provision of primary medical services for all people in its area.

  The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with NHS Western Isles to ensure that the patients of Broadbay medical practice continue to receive the full range of primary medical services.

Non-domestic Rates

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-1713 by John Swinney on 23 July 2007, whether any analysis of the impact of the EC state aid rules was made in relation to the previous administration’s proposals to introduce business rate relief for investment in research and development, if so, what the conclusions were and whether it will publish any such analysis.

John Swinney: As stated in the answer to question S3W-1713, answered on 23 July 2007, the Scottish Executive routinely takes EC state aid rules into account in relation to any proposed rates relief schemes. However, any advice provided to Ministers in the previous administration in relation to analysis of its proposals is a matter for the previous administration.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Palliative Care

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what support it will give to any hospices faced with service cuts in palliative care due to funding shortages.

Nicola Sturgeon: Funding arrangements for specialist palliative care provided by independent voluntary hospices in Scotland are set out in HDL (2003)18. This guidance was agreed between Hospices, the NHS and the Scottish Government. Since 1990 there has been a commitment that NHS boards should meet 50% of the agreed running costs of hospices providing specialist palliative care for adults. This 50% target was set so as not to compromise the independence of hospices. It is a matter for individual hospices to agree their funding requirements with their local NHS board.

Planning

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its definitions are of vacant and derelict land.

Stewart Stevenson: Local Authorities provide the Scottish Executive with annual estimates of vacant and derelict land in the voluntary Scottish Vacant and Derelict Land Survey.

  The survey guidance defines vacant land as land that is currently not used for a purpose allocated in an adopted local plan (or council approved replacement plan) and which is appropriate for development. The land must either have had prior development on it or if it had no prior development, work has to have been undertaken to prepare the land in anticipation of future development. Vacant land is not envisaged to require rehabilitation prior to any new development. The survey only covers vacant land contained within settlements as defined by local authorities’ latest adopted local plans or council approved replacements.

  The survey guidance defines derelict land as land that it is currently not used for a purpose allocated in an adopted local plan (or council approved replacement plan) and has been so damaged by development or use that it is incapable of development for beneficial use without rehabilitation. Types of rehabilitation can include the demolition or clearing of fixed structures or building foundations, the remediation of land where the potential presence of chemicals or other substances/elements has rendered the land unfit for redevelopment in its current state and the clearing of large amounts of left over rubble, stone deposits and other abandoned physical material typically associated with former mineral works, mines etc.

  The survey guidance notes (containing further information on the definitions of vacant and derelict land) can be viewed on the Scottish Executive website at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Planning/DataSupplierArea.

Planning

Bill Wilson (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of any local authorities that have used the planning process to ensure that a proportion of privately developed new builds are wheelchair-accessible and barrier-free and what action the Executive is taking to promote such an approach.

Stewart Stevenson: Although this information isn’t collated, the Executive is aware that, as examples, both City of Glasgow and City of Edinburgh Councils have prepared supplementary planning guidance which requires developers to demonstrate that developments are suitable or readily adaptable for mobility impaired residents.

  The Planning etc. (Scotland) Act 2006 contains provisions for the introduction of design and access statements to accompany applications for planning permission. The main aim of the statement will be to inform the planning decision-making process and will require relevant applications to set out the design principles underpinning the development proposal and how issues relating to access for disabled people to the development have been addressed.

Recycling

Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to replicate the level of recycling achieved by South Lanarkshire Council across the country.

Richard Lochhead: My officials have had discussions with colleagues in local authorities and other relevant bodies about how best to build on the recycling that has already been achieved and these are continuing. We are considering the future resources required for recycling as part of the strategic spending review.

Recycling

Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what support it will give the South Lanarkshire Council to maintain and improve its record on recycling.

Richard Lochhead: We are considering the future resources required for recycling as part of the strategic spending review.

Scottish Executive Finance

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the outcome was of expenditure against each budget head at levels 3 and 4 of the budget in (a) 2004-05, (b) 2005-06 and (c) 2006-07 in respect of the budgets managed by the Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department.

Richard Lochhead: Both budgets and related accounts in respect of resources voted to the Executive in the Annual Budget Act are at a very high level. The Executive’s Consolidated Accounts contain no information on outturn lower than the level 2 distribution set out in the budget documents which accompany annual and revised budgets as these are presented to Parliament. The budget documents show for each level 2 the distribution of resources across related level 3 headings. Neither budget documents nor accounts contain information belowlevel 3.

  No audited figures are available for more detailed spending below level 2. However, based on the audited accounts for 2004-05 and 2005-06 and draft accounts for 2006-07 and for the purposes of showing broad trends, the following table sets out figures for spending by the Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department against each of the level 3 budgets in each of the last three years.

  

Scheme/Project
£000’s


2004-05
2005-06
2006-07


Rural Development
 
 
 


Less Favoured Areas Support Scheme 
60,663
60,722
40,251


Environmentally Sensitive Areas Scheme 
8,867
6,972
5,908


Countryside Premium Scheme 
4,157
3,997
3,967


Organic Aid Scheme 
7,271
2,729
3,287


Rural Stewardship Scheme 
11,862
15,146
22,391


Habitat Creation Scheme 
353
366
250


Farm Woodland Scheme 
6,179
5,859
5,480


Land Management Contracts
0
0
12,759


Rural Partnership Scheme
3,094
2,017
1,651


Farm Business Development Scheme
2,222
2,592
5,862


Agricultural Business Development Scheme
1,788
2,273
2,327


Marketing Development Scheme
645
546
593


Crofting Building Grants & Loans Scheme
1,116
806
1,226


Crofting Counties Agricultural Grant Scheme
2,814
3,065
4,275


Highlands and Islands Marketing Scheme
61
659
682


Lowlands Marketing Scheme
3,146
3,644
5,414


Payments To Quality Meat Scotland
3,589
4,461
4,842


Support For Scottish Agricultural Organisation
330
356
400


Farm Waste Grant Scheme
1,457
1,414
288


Farm Business Advice
380
660
412


Rural Development Other
410
787
335


 
120,404
119,071
122,600


Agricultural and Biological Science etc
 
 
 


Scottish Agricultural College
20,338
19,589
20,675


Scottish Agricultural & Biological Research Institutes
36,091
36,003
36,862


Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh
10,605
11,103
10,628


Flexible Fund For research and development
5,536
5,675
7,168


Pensions
19,034
22,507
22,956


Support For Agricultural Training
350
431
370


Scottish Agricultural Science Agency (SASA)
17,259
10,114
11,083


Crofters Commission
2,611
2,720
3,183


Deer Commission
1,486
1,724
1,237


Animal Health and Veterinary Services
1,601
4,168
2,608


Seeds Administration And Plant Health
1,085
739
277


Economic and Other Surveys
1,593
1,512
1,207


Misc. Inc. Committee, Tribunal And Publishing Costs
1,410
1,634
1,614


 
118,999
117,919
119,868


Fisheries
 
 
 


Fisheries Research Services 
20,824
25,310
28,296


Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency
24,897
35,856
25,569


Fisheries Capital Grants
6,657
6,133
11,881


Other
738
1,580
904


 
53,116
68,879
66,650


Natural Heritage
 
 
 


Scottish Natural Heritage
62,062
68,909
88,315


National Parks
9,444
11,411
14,926


 
71,506
80,320
103,241


Environment Protection
 
 
 


Scottish Environment Protection Agency
30,983
35,111
34,707


Waste Initiatives
20,361
25,399
20,218


Keep Scotland Beautiful
234
234
425


Strategic Waste Fund
65,818
85,346
67,264


Flood and Coast Protection
1,484
736
11,999


Noise and Air Quality Action
2,603
3,584
6,209


Water Environment
2,421
1,144
1,433


 
123,904
151,554
142,255


Research and Sustainable Action
 
 
 


Sustainable Action Fund
3,910
4,127
4,289


Publicity, Information and Committees
782
607
1,470


Research
1,452
1,523
758


 
6,144
6,257
6,517


Water
 
 
 


Scottish Water
82,611
162,736
40


Private Water
14
43
360


Water Industry Commission
-
1,879
1,566


Drinking Water Quality Regulator
-
-
210


Transitional Reduction Scheme
6,139
5,187
80


Sustainable Urban Drainage System
55
-
-


Hardship
(1)
-
-


Water Publicity
558
259
22


Reporters Grant
370
-
-


SS Sir Walter Scott Grant
-
219
100


G8 Costs
-
245
(7)


Totals
89,746
170,568
2,371



  The Department was also responsible for payments to farm businesses under the Common Agricultural Policy. These payments were fully funded by the EU and amounted to £418 million, £408 million and £419 million in the three years in question.

Scottish Executive Finance

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the budget for its Environment and Rural Affairs Department was in each of the last five years, broken down by issue and detailing year-on-year percentage increases and decreases.

Richard Lochhead: Details of the budgets are set out in Tables 1.01 to 1.12 of the Environment and Rural Development Chapter of the Draft Budget 2007-08 which can be found at:  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2006/09/05131713/3 . The distribution of the Budgets at level 2 and year on year changes are set out in the following table.

  

£000’s
2002-03 Budget
2003-04 Budget
(% Change on previous year)
2004-05 Budget
(% Change on previous year)
2005-06 Budget
(% Change on previous year)
2006-07 Budget
(% Change on previous year)


Water
302,300
255,700 (-15.4)
200,800 (-21.5)
181,000 (-9.9)
190,800 (+5.4)


Natural Heritage
58,158
64,827 (+11.5)
67,631(+4.3)
70,471 (+4.2)
76,171 (+8.1)


Environment Protection
43,967
81,119 (+84.5)
158,362 (+95.1)
191,792 (+21.1)
213,163 (+11.1)


Research and Sustainable Action
3,626
5,126 (+41.4)
4,247 (-17.2)
4,022 (-5.3)
5,022 (+24.9)


Rural Development 
124,283
135,564 (+9.1)
136,296 (+0.5)
148,090 (+8.7)
125,960 (-14.9)


Agricultural and Biological Science and Other Agricultural Services 
94,239
119,020 (+26.3)
136,188 (+14.4)
108,903 (-20.3)
118,576 (+8.9)


Fisheries 
69,561
50,528 (-27.4)
47,733 (-5.5)
80,569 (+68.8)
63,976 (-21.5)


Total
696,134
711,884 (+2.3)
751,257 (+5.5)
784,847 (+4.5)
793,668 (+1.1)



  The table excludes spending on Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) Market Support measures decisions on which are taken by the EU and the costs of which are entirely offset by EU funding.

Scottish Executive Staff

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many staff were employed in the environment sections of its Environment and Rural Affairs Department in each of the last three years, broken down by responsibility.

Richard Lochhead: The following table shows staff numbers by area of responsibility in Divisions covering Environment which are parts of the Environmental Quality Directorate and Climate Change and Water Industry Directorates, in each of the last three years.

  

Duties
Number of Staff


Area
2005
2006
2007


Environmental Futures
0
0
5


Noise and Nuisance
8
9
9


Climate Change 
14
14
18


Waste and Pollution Reduction
24
25
22


Water
35
32
20


Sustainable Development and Biodiversity
13
13
15


Drinking Water Quality
5
3
6


Group Head and PS
2
2
2


Division Heads
4
5
6


Total
105
103
103

Scottish Executive Staff

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many staff were employed in the fisheries sections of its Environment and Rural Affairs Department in each of the last three years, broken down by responsibility.

Richard Lochhead: The following table shows staff numbers by area of responsibility in Divisions covering Fisheries which are part of the Marine Directorate, namely Sea Fisheries Conservation, Sea Fisheries Management, and Freshwater Fisheries and Aquaculture, in each of the last three years.

  

Duties
Number of Staff


Area
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08


Effort Management
4
4
3


Quota Management
3
3
2


Markets and processing
3
3
3


Data analysis
5
5
5


Licensing
2
2
2


Compliance
4
3
4


Fisheries Strategy
3
3
3


EU Negotiations
3
3
3


Inshore Fisheries
3
3
3


Marine Environment
1
1
1


Admin Support
2
2
2


Fisheries Grants/Science
5.5
7.5
7.5


Aquaculture Policy
7
7
6


Fish Health
5
4
4


Freshwater Fisheries
6.5
6.5
6.5


Aquaculture and Fisheries Bill Team
2
2
0


Group Head
Division Heads
Private Secretaries
134
134
134


Total
63
63
59

Tourism

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has carried out or is aware of any research into the importance of providing staffed public toilets in locations visited by high numbers of tourists.

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy is on the provision of staffed public toilets in locations visited by high numbers of tourists.

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it provides any financial assistance to local authorities for the provision of staffed public toilets.

John Swinney: Decisions concerning the provision, management and funding of public toilets are for individual local authorities and not a matter for the Scottish Executive. We have not conducted nor are we aware of any research into the importance of providing public toilets or the views of tourists on such matters.

Transport

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to make an announcement on funding to HITRANS.

Stewart Stevenson: HITRANS were advised of their capital and revenue funding for 2007-08 in March this year. The level of funding for future years is dependent on the outcome of the comprehensive spending review.

Transport

Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers the upgrading of the Raith interchange to be a strategic priority, as set out by Strathclyde Passenger Transport in March 2007.

Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what improvements are planned for the road network connecting Hamilton and Blantyre to Glasgow.

Stewart Stevenson: Details and timescales for our major and important planned trunk road projects, including the M74 Raith Interchange, can be found on the Transport Scotland website at:  http://www.transportscotland.gov.uk/uploads/documents/Scottish-Motorways-Trunk-Road-Programme-June2007-final.pdf .

  Future investment on the trunk road network will emerge from the Strategic Transport Projects Review which is due to report in summer 2008.

Waste Disposal

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much municipal waste went to landfill in 2006-07, broken down by local authority area.

Richard Lochhead: Full data for 2006-07 is not yet available. The most recent data available is for the period April to June 2006 and is available on the Scottish Environment Protection Agency’s website at:  www.sepa.org.uk/pdf/nws/data/quarterly/2006_07/q1.pdf .

Waste Disposal

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of municipal waste has gone to landfill in each year since 2000, broken down by local authority area.

Richard Lochhead: Annual Waste Data Digests, which include information on the amount of municipal waste sent to landfill, are available on the Scottish Environment Protection Agency’s website at www.sepa.org.uk/nws/data/data_digest.htm .

  Quarterly data is also available on the SEPA website at: www.sepa.org.uk/pdf/nws/data/quarterly/2006_07/q1.pdf.

Waste Disposal

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much municipal waste per head of population has gone to landfill in each year since 2000, broken down by local authority area.

Richard Lochhead: This information is not calculated centrally. Annual Waste Data Digests, including information on the amount of waste sent to landfill, are available on the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) website at:  www.sepa.org.uk/nws/data/data_digest.htm .

  Quarterly data is also available on the SEPA website at: www.sepa.org.uk/pdf/nws/data/quarterly/2006_07/q1.pdf.

  Statistics on population figures are available on the website of the General Register Office for Scotland at  http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/statistics/population.html.

Waste Disposal

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on how much landfill tax has been paid for each year since 2000, broken down by local authority area.

Richard Lochhead: The landfill tax is a reserved matter for HM Treasury.

  Information on the amounts raised by the landfill tax can be found at: http://www.uktradeinfo.com/index.cfm?task=bulllandfill.

  A breakdown by local authority area is not available.

Water Services

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many cubic feet of water were lost through faults to the water infrastructure in each year since 1995.

Stewart Stevenson: This is an operational matter for Scottish Water, and I have asked the Chief Executive to reply directly to your enquiry.